Could you please list some phono cables with those very low capacitance values?
Several of the Cardas phono cables shown on
this page. Click on the corresponding photos:
Neutral Reference Phono: 20 pf/ft
Golden Presence Phono: 12 pf/ft (rca); 7 pf/ft (xlr)
Golden Reference Phono: 11 pf/ft
Several of the Kimber phono cables linked to on
this page:
TAK CU: 47.1 pf for a 1 meter cable, apparently even including connector capacitance
TAK H: 46.9 pf for a 1 meter cable, apparently even including connector capacitance
TAK Ag: 47.1 pf for a 1 meter cable, apparently even including connector capacitance
My understanding is that the cartridge signals are 'balanced' by nature and RCA or XLR do not change this?
Connecting the cartridge to an rca phono stage input will convert it to an unbalanced source, because the impedances between each of the two cartridge output polarities and circuit ground in the phono stage will no longer be the same. That will negate the common mode noise rejection advantages that a balanced input stage would provide, but on the other hand it may not matter.
Good luck!
-- Al